As you start searching for the right home for sale in Madison, Wisconsin, you might encounter different terms. Half bath, three-quarter bath, and full bath are all very common terms used in listing, but what do they mean? Let's look at all three so you can better understand what you're getting with each.

Half Bath

A half-bath or half bathroom is also called a powder room or, sometimes, a guest bathroom. It's commonly found on the main level of the home. This type of bathroom is intended for guests or for those that cannot access the upstairs bathroom or the master bathroom.

Within a real estate listing, if a home is described as having 2.5 bathrooms or 1.5 bathrooms, it has a half-bath. The half-bath has two fixtures, usually a sink and a toilet. However, a bathroom with a sink and a shower or a toilet and a shower might also be considered a half-bath.

Commonly, a half-bath will be about three to four feet wide and about six to eight feet long. It will cover about 18 to 24 square feet and they are usually considered to be rather small.

Three-Quarter Bath

A three-quarter bath is also used as a spare bathroom, but may also be a part of an ensuite. It will have a sink, toilet, and either a shower or a tub. Typically, this type of bathroom will have a stand-alone shower, a sink, and a toilet. It will be around 35 square feet in size but can be a bit larger, too.

Full Bath

When you run across the term "full bath" it is a bathroom that has a toilet, a sink, a separate tub, and a separate shower. It may also have a combination of a tub and shower. This is usually a larger bathroom with at least 40 to 45 square feet but can be much larger, depending on the home.

The fixtures often include larger options with more counter space. A full bathroom may have a freestanding tub with a shower stall or a combination of the two together. It's often found in the master bedroom, but may also be another upstairs bathroom in the home.

While half-bath, three-quarter bath, and full bath are the most common options you will find in a home, occasionally, you might run into a quarter bath, as well. This is often a bathroom with a stand-alone shower or a toilet only or a tub only or a sink only. It has one fixture in the space and it's usually very small.

The larger the bathroom, the more value it will add to the home, and the more it will cost, if you need to remodel. Make sure to keep this in mind, if you plan to remodel a home you buy.

As you start shopping for the right home in Madison, you will commonly find full and half bathrooms. However, there are some properties, where you might run into quarter or three-quarter bathrooms. Keep these terms in mind, as you shop around, so you will better know what you will be getting with your home.